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Historic, Archive Document Do not assume content reflects current scientific knowledge, policies, or practices. DGPS Navigation systems for Agricultural Aircraft 3400 FPM October 1994 9534-2807-MTDC in Forestry: Test Plan Reserve aSB953 . 154 1994 Ulalitsyemel Ci Department of Agriculture INPW HLOINENE AGRICULTURAL LIBRARY Advancing Access to Global Information for PNetaraulieelte GPS Aircraft Navigation Test Plan Prepared by: Harold Thistle, Ph.D. Anthony Jasumback William Kilroy Missoula Technology and Development Center USDA-Forest Service, Bldg. 1, Ft. Missoula Missoula, MT 59801 August 2, 1994 Final Draft 2 1a.tneo Minbetoes, BP se : “~y t has Lntroductiion The field of Global Positioning System (GPS) based navigation is rapidly growing with technology currently available which can positively impact the effectiveness of USDA-Forest Service Forest Pest Management (FPM) operations. This technology is based on the receipt of signals from a constellation of satellites. These satellites were originally intended for military use but as time goes on, the capabilities of civilian technology based on GPS are increasing rapidly. Currently, instrumentation using the signals from this satellite constellation can yield positions on the surface of the Earth with less than 2m absolute error under optimal conditions. The applications of this type of accurate positioning are numerous. Of great interest to FPM (investigation and implementation of this technology has been noted as a priority by the National Spray Model Advisory Steering Committee, the Steering Committee for Gypsy Moth and Eastern Defoliators, and many other groups within the USDA- Forest Service) is the ability to accurately know and log to a stored file the exact position of an aerial or ground spray system during an application event. This ability can eliminate the problem of treating the wrong area making flagmen and block marking unnecessary in most cases. Questions raised in litigation can be directly addressed with detailed records. Lost pilot time due to finding home can be reduced, costs associated with returning to base for reloading and then returning to the exact position application ceased can be reduced and misses or gaps can be spotted immediately by the applicator or operational manager allowing corrective action to be taken. In general, costs can be lowered, safety improved and efficiency increased if GPS navigation systems were integrated into FPM pesticide application operations. weldeotvad feted ‘2W M stelaye write tijee® Cadet Se bleri wo npo dole anaes LJuerune ¢pe hoe tin a =a Jan" ‘oieand susiat- ale #28eev{ 3 va! oo» Speed #!, weuloribed eh caring tatege (nv4 : szer Mots. 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GPS navigation equipment is gaining wide acceptance among agricultural aviators, however, they typically work in relatively flat terrain. Much of the FPM application work is carried out under conditions where ground based transmitters which are used to increase the accuracy of the system, would be obscured. Also, in extreme terrain, the aircraft would not ‘view’ enough satellites to resolve position. Another technical issue is that aerial applicators in complex terrain often fly ‘contours’ instead of straight swaths. The shape of the contours is determined by the local terrain. This type of application requires a higher level of sophistication in the associated GPS software and control systems. Further technical concerns are associated with operator safety and workload. If the systems are properly designed, safety should be improved and workloads reduced compared to current operational methods. The second set of problems involves the acceptance and integration of this technology into the current modus operandi. Various field trials have demonstrated that this technology can provide the positional accuracy claimed for it (Mierzejewski 1993, Sampson 1993, Falkenberg et al. 1994, among others). Beyond the specific technical questions listed above, most of the basic technical concerns have been addressed. 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